Eldorado National Forest

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2 years ago

Where do I start?! I absolutely love hiking here. It's a long drive for us, but it is so worth it! If you love Yosemite, then you will love it here as well. We hiked Horsetail Falls Trail, and I can't even explain how magnificent this place is. It is a 4 mile hike surrounded by mini waterfalls and rock formation throughout the hike. Your reward is getting underneath the main waterfall at the top of the hike. You will do a lot of rock climbing the further you hike, and it gets really steep. There are absolutely breathtaking views at the top. I love it! I recommend this hike to everyone. My tip for this hike is to bring lots of water because you will need it. Come early to snag a parking spot because it fills up fast and there is a $10 fee for parking. ENJOY! read more

Eldorado National Forest - Horsetail Falls - Parks Near Me - Placerville, California

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Shelli H.

600

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2 years ago

Wide open spaces!! There are about 50 campgrounds spread throughout. Some have fees and reservation policies and some are free and you just show up and hope there is a good spot. The forest is almost 600,000 acres. All different terrains. The famous Rubicon trail is here. So much to do here for the outdoor enthusiasts. Water recreation, hundreds of miles of hiking trails, it is legal to shoot your guns here ( it is posted where it is not, obviously use common sense ). Off road vehicles are popular and not just on the Rubicon. We camped at the spot my son has been going to for years. Airport flat. It's one of the free campgrounds and it's quite a bit into the forest. No cell service. His favorite spot on the water was being used so we ended up with 3 campsites just next to it. This is dry camping here but they did have a porta potties that were acceptable. The water was cold but it was hot outside. The guys swam a lot. I thought the campgrounds were private and sites were huge! Most sites could fit our trailer and extra tents with plenty of room to spare. I have definitely paid for less enjoyable campgrounds. read more

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Earlene C.

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19 years ago

Indeed a beautiful place to camp! Fresh air, tall pine trees, refreshing clean waters ...it is gorgeous scene. But prepare to be truly roughing it!! We stayed at Sunset-Union, a lovely spot near the beach of the reservoir. It could be that this camp is low budget, but there were no bathroom facilities near our camp. They just had his/her outhouses--AKA a hole in the ground with a toilet seat. The smell is unbearable and hardly clean. They have several water faucets around the camp, but we are not allowed to wash our hands, wash dishes or do anything except pitch water in your pail and take it back to your site! At your site, there are no bear boxes! So each night we had to clear out everything back into our cars. With a party of 9, we had a lot of food and supplies. It was a hassle having to hide everything each time and the next day not knowing whose car we put whatever supplies. I know, it's camping... but we like camps with some amenities like bear boxes or flushing toilets! Perhaps it's the fact that this was a National Park and the system is different from the State Park system. But the previous years of camping at State Parks we have been spoiled with their amenities. Services like bear boxes and nice bathrooms with sinks you can use and real toilets that flush and don't reek of who knows what! Anyway, despite those things... we enjoyed our time. The Eldorado Forest is beautiful none the less. read more

Eldorado National Forest - The one showering facility shared by several camps... don't forget your quarters! - Parks Near Me - Placerville, California

Eldorado National Forest - The reservoir - Parks Near Me - Placerville, California

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Craig B.

Elite 23

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4 years ago

The El Dorado National Forest is surprisingly snowy even in early May. I had been reading articles that the snow depth in the California mountains was half the normal depth. To the unaccustomed eye, the snow depth was surprising at this time of year. This was probably because I have never ventured through the mountains at this time of year. I am used to baseball games and bike rides in May. Many of the trailheads are closed on the Eastern side of the National Forest. We never traveled down the western side of the mountains. Instead, we stayed at higher altitudes, driving from lake to lake and hoping for an open trailhead. Finally, we found Shealor Lakes Trailhead. The trailhead was not closed, nor was it necessarily open. The entrance wasn't blocked off, but part of the parking lot was unusable due to the large snow drifts. We hiked in until the snow levels stopped our advance. At this time, I didn't have much experience in deep snow hikes. Nevertheless, it was beautiful to see the mountains in transition from winter to spring. There were little streams running down the path and on the side of the mountain that, I assume, are not there in mid-summer. read more

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Patrick W.

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16 years ago

Pretty awesome spot. They just put in bear boxes so right on. I've been camping here for around 5 years now. My wife's been camping up here for 26. It's a good spot. Its usually pretty quiet and there are lots of spots with only a few camping slots. there's also great places to camp that are hike in only which clears out most of the riff raff. I went up this last weekend and their were some jackass's doing the usual jackassery.... blasting bad music all day and night, annoying everyone around them with their wanna be hickness. Some lady across the way called rangers on them... hoo boy. Those rangers take care of business! next day they got hit with multiple visits, breathalyzer tests, and all sorts of awesomeness. That night..instead of listening to dudes grab-assing each other while playing beer pong...i actually got to sleep before 3am and didnt have to listen to any disney inspired country songs. Sweet. The rangers = awesome. read more

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Jennifer F.

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6 years ago

This is a great National Forest with many campgrounds and even areas of disbursement. It seems they have something for everyone. Lakes, rivers, redwood trees, trails and beautiful hilltop views. We had been there before and found a large variety of different types of campers. The person who answered the phone today was very helpful in letting me know which campgrounds I might like based on my set-up and interests (we like "quiet" camping so we can hear nature....not neighbors). Future campers coming -- This is gem, please keep it that way -- keep it clean and be respectful- don't make the forest rangers become your personal sanitation service and understand you are not the only ones in the forest. (This is not just for this great National Forest --- a trend of noisy disrespectful camping seems to be becoming the norm in the last 5-10 years, especially on weekends). Don't let that happen here, please. read more

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Allie A.

125

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13 years ago

We love camping in the Crystal Basin region. Sometimes we do a bit of free primitive camping on national forest land to avoid crowds and sometimes we opt for one of the many public campgrounds that dot Ice House Road. Most recently we stayed at Gerle Creek Campground and for the most part, loved it. We had site #21 which meant we had no one behind us. The good: Easy walk to a very pretty reservoir where no motorized boats are allowed. Cold but fun swimming - if you can make it out to the little island, it's great. Nature walks abound, and if you are lucky and there are few people about, we let our dogs off leash to run and enjoy. Bathrooms were well maintained but note it's not flush toilets. Next to each toilet is a bear-proof garbage container and a water spigot. The camp host can sell you firewood ($8). It's about 12 miles to the nearest public showers at the Fashoda Campground ($3 in quarters as of 2013). We really liked that there was not only a fire pit but also a stand-up BBQ grill for charcoal at each site. The bad: Unfortunately, for the most crowded nights (Fridays and Saturdays), we noticed a trend of groups of families and friends who booked several campsites but congregated at one, completely ignoring the "six people max per site" rule. In our case, we had a group of about 35 people (yes, we counted) who booked surrounding campsites, but pretty much set up their tents and ate all at the one site next to ours. It was a church group, so there was a lot of singing and praying and group activities. Another family group reserved three sites and congregated at one site as well. So by sheer misfortune, we were surrounded unexpectedly by large groups, who should have just gone to a group campground. We hoped the camp hosts would do something about it, but they didn't seem to care. Very annoying, but we gritted our teeth and waited it out. It's not fun to expect a max of 12 people in the two nearest sites but instead get 45 people. It gets LOUD. If you book online, prepare to spend about $25 a night with assorted fees. Additional fees are charged if your site has more than 1 car and if you bring dogs. We don't know what the fees are because the camp host never bothered to collect it from us. PRO TIP: Book your stay starting on a Sunday - most campgrounds empty out until the weekend crowds start arriving Thursday and Friday. read more

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Kimi W.

Elite 9

29

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19 years ago

Great for camping!! Sometimes I get stuck in a little foggy bubble of city-living, that I forget how varied and absolutely gorgeous the rest of the California landscape is... We found a small remote camping area, near a babbling brook and gorgeous waterfall, surrounded by lots and lots of trees. During late spring and the rest of the summer, it gets hot & sunny during the day and gets cool/cold at night. It's about 2.5 hrs east of San Francisco. (There's absolutely no cell phone reception where we were at, though, so be forewarned.) read more

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Colleen R.

6

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9 years ago

We went back to Gerle creek campground early June. We really packed for the wrong weather! It rained the first day but was sunny/cloudy the rest of the days. The lake is super full, couldn't access the fishing dock. Too cold to swim. Still had a great time! We always love the scenery. This was our first time experiencing a bear near the camp grounds! Make sure to use the bear-proof box they provide for you. I was awaken early morning by people alerting other campers that there is a bear walking around. The bear was able to push down a large garbage bin. Always a great place to camp, but it is very rural! read more

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Talar P.

9

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18 years ago

I don't know about the address (Forni Place), because when we plugged it into our car's navigation system, the forni place address brought us to some homes in a wooded area. You need to take 50East all the way through Placerville (20 miles east at least)... once we found it though - wowie! so many places to hikes - trees for miles as far as the eyes can see - waterfalls - creeks - wildlife! unfortunately, it was pouring rain when we got to the top so we had to turn around....but can't wait to go back when it's a little drier. read more

Eldorado National Forest - Bridal Veil Falls, right off the hwy - Parks Near Me - Placerville, California

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Amanda J.

0

37

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8 years ago

Wow this place is gorgeous! So quiet, peaceful, great place to come out for a hike or bring the pooch out for a day of fun! I would highly recommend, even the slay day park area (can't remember what it's called) that has an entry fee was worth it. Just so peaceful. read more

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Josh S.

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12 years ago

Love this forest there is so many activities for everyone to do. My favorite things to do are exploring and camping. There's lakes for fishing and water sports, boating jet skiing , and anything else you can do. Also the forest spans a good distance with lots of 4x4 trails and scenic views! read more

Eldorado National Forest - Rubicon trail in the forest next to loon lake. - Parks Near Me - Placerville, California

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Ken L.

Elite 21

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9 years ago

Always a great place to go to enjoy the nature and get away from the city life. There's a lot of activities I enjoy doing from fishing to hiking to kayaking. Plus it is usually a lot cooler than Sacramento's heat. read more

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Michelle M.

8

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7 years ago

Went. To get a permit for only ten dollars for a Christmas tree! 2 tress per household! The employees were all very friendly! We learned how and where to cut down your tree read more

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Mike P.

8

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14 years ago

We stayed at the "Gerle Creek" campgrounds, one of many in Eldorado National Forest. They were clean and closely set campsites deep in (and up) the mountains. But the windy drive up to about 6,000 feet is splendorous: green pines all the way, lookouts over breathtaking valleys and ranges. Gerle Creek has just enough of what you need: tidy campsites with a fire pit, food locker, picnic table and grill, outhouse-style restrooms, and laid-back campsite managers who keep the sites and restrooms clean. Showers are a few miles away at another campground, and so is a general store for stocking up on stuff. If you reserve a campsite at Gerle Creek on Recreation.gov, make sure to specify preference for a "waterfront" site. We lucked out with one right along the creek, which was tranquil and leads to a reservoir where families were hiking around and swimming in. (Fortunately, no motorized vessels on the water here.) Another bonus: Gerle Creek campground is close to the Desolation Wilderness Area. Amazing hiking and high-country lakes such as Loon Lake. read more

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Kip T.

0

9

0

7 years ago

Just returned from a night at Gerle Creek. Be advised: There is no potable water at Gerle Creek. I showed up with no extra water so I had to boil drinking water. Beautiful campground, but bring water. read more

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Tim S.

177

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12 years ago

From a camping point of view, Fashoda was pretty nice. The campsites seemed well laid out, the showers worked well, the lake and beach were a nice addition. Our site was well shaded, which helps when the heat of the day settles in. I don't care too much for vault toilets, but these were quite clean, and the smell was minimal. Unfortunately, the thing that often ruins camping for me is people who don't respect the nature of the experience for others. There was a large party of Russians, and they clearly didn't know or care about the courtesy of keeping quiet after 10:00 pm. The loud laughter and singing went on until well after midnight. We never saw a ranger, and I don't think the camp host ever patrolled the area. If they had, there was no way this unruly bunch could have been overlooked. Anyway, good spot if the rules could be enforced. Date of stay: July 16-19, 2014 read more

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Marissa N.

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13 years ago

Big, big beautiful trees not like the national forests that are primarily redwood or sequoia but still beautiful.

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Laura R.

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8 years ago

Beautiful place, we visited from the Boston area. Drove all around lake Tahoe. I took many pictures and will have wonderful memories

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Dan K.

0

11

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10 years ago

Loved the camp ground and the hosts, Bob and his wife, they were awesome! It was super clean and pleasant to stay there and enjoy the outdoors. read more

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John W.

0

4

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14 years ago

The Eldorado National Forest is a great plaqce to get away for the day or camping over night. Off road activities and hunting and fishing are also fair. This has been my escape for over 40 years. In the last 4 or 5 year it seams that more and more roads are closed each year. Now this year they have closed 42 roads that go through meadows. These roads have been there for over 40 years and now they want to close them. Many of these are major routes to popular areas, such as Cody lake. Before you waste your time buying California hunting and fishing licences for the area check with the Eldorado National Forest office. It may be to cumbersome to bother with. Take your money out of the state of California and spend it in the free states of the USA. I know this is a US Forest issue but this state is rolling over as usual and letting this happen. This land and roads were designated for recreational use, not wilderness. This forest would rate four stars if you could drive down the road to experience it read more

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Michelle H.

Elite 15

169

240

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14 years ago

The El Dorado National Forest is absolutely beautiful! Fun place to play in the snow, awesome hikes, great place to go shooting where you don't have to deal with idiots at the range and you can rapid fire all you want - lol - its also cool because the Forest Service patrols regularly. read more

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Fishin J.

3

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13 years ago

I live here, the forest is breathtaking! Lots if cedar. Go past pollock pines about ten minutes and there are places to pull off on the side of the road that are right on the American river. Do: hell hole, loon lake, union valley, ice house, and jenkinson for good camping and fishing. read more

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Trina D.

100

5

1

14 years ago

Best place . We return always. Gerle creek rocks... Hidden paths and secret places everywhere. Biking, kayaking, fishing brown trout, paddle boarding , hiking. Love it!!! Tranquil, spacious, quiet, groomed and in the wilderness. thank you read more

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Brian H.

Elite 23

474

386

97

12 years ago

We drove through here on two separate occasions and made quick pit stops. This forest is awesome! There seemed to some construction going on during the drive both times which congested traffic as well. Overall, the woods were beautiful and seemed pretty remote. I bet it would be great to camp, if you are into that sort of thing. We just appreciate walking in nature and taking it all in. The areas that we saw were clearly not "popular" because the beach is a ways off. Keep that in mind, but other than that, seems like some great wildlife watching and great views of Lake Tahoe. read more

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Dolly M.

24

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8 years ago

We went to the El dorado forest to do some hiking, unfortunately the place we went was closed for road work. Go figure. The next time we go we will go somewhere else in the El dorado Forest. What we did see of it, was beautiful. Guess we just picked the wrong place that weekend. read more

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Janice F.

Elite 14

141

309

326

15 years ago

Highly recommend this beautiful find. A true getaway from the city life, with chains of lakes and rivers, with waterfalls, hiking trails, off road driving, fishing, boating, and swimming. You'll drive up a mountain off highway 50, enjoying the scenic blue skies, pine trees, and just peacefulness. They have a few 1st come 1st serve campsites, but the one that is never really over crowded is Airport Flat. I've checked out Yellowjacket (crowded), Wench Creek (little better), but I highly suggest going for the group campgrounds, especially Wolf Creek. Don't let the horror movie with the same name give you any ideas. This spot rocks. So much privacy, room to roam, that you could totally have polygamists start a clan there. Just kidding. But you get your walkway to the lake and your own restroom vault (no flush). Showers are limited and coin-op. You'll have to drive to the more populated crowded campground to shower. In any case, this will still be my all time favorite location to camp. Its worth the ugly traffic drive for sure. read more

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More info about Eldorado National Forest

100 Forni Rd
Placerville, CA 95667
Directions
(530) 622-5061
Call Now
Visit Website
https://www.fs.usda.gov

Hours

What time does Eldorado National Forest open?

Eldorado National Forest opens at 8:00 AM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

What time does Eldorado National Forest close?

Eldorado National Forest closes at 4:30 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.Eldorado National Forest is closed on Saturday and Sunday.

Mon-Fri 8:00 AM - 4:30 PMSat-Sun Closed

Outdoor Amenities

Does Eldorado National Forest have bike parking?

Yes, Eldorado National Forest has bike parking.

Does Eldorado National Forest have parking?

Yes, Eldorado National Forest has parking options.

Other Amenities

Is Eldorado National Forest wheelchair accessible?

Yes, Eldorado National Forest is wheelchair accessible.

From the Business

Specialties

The Eldorado National Forest provides incredible recreational opportunities including hiking, fishing, water activities, and off-road opportunities.

Review Highlights - Eldorado National Forest

“They have a few 1st come 1st serve campsites, but the one that is never really over crowded is Airport Flat.”

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Explore benefits

Gold Bug Park & Mine

(97 reviews)

2.3 mi

Great experience here! The mine was cool, a short and sweet self guided tour. Which I actually…read morereally liked. You can get through both the mine and the blacksmith demo in a little over an hour. Sometimes little attention spans can't handle a full days worth of historical education (myself included). Do not skip the blacksmith demo. The blacksmith we had was a great guy. Very knowledgeable and passionate about his craft. We very much enjoyed chatting with him, and we even bought 3 hand forged pieces he made. I forget his name but he was a totally cool guy. A retired fire captain with a ton of cool knowledge and fun stories. We loved him he was the highlight of the visit. We enjoyed chatting with the gal in the stamp room too.

My family and I trekked up the mountain to meet our friends at Gold Bug Park yesterday in…read morePlacerville. It was the first visit for all 7 of us and we had a great time! Our first stop was the mine cave that was very cold inside and educational - they give you a phone that plays audio with all of the historical facts while walking through the mine. It's about 15 minutes and we really enjoyed ourselves. The staff member who handles the cave tour was great with getting the 7 of us situated and explaining the rules. We also checked out the Blacksmith and the Stamping Mill - both were also very entertaining and educational. My daughter got to hammer a square nail into a tree truck - cool way to leave a little mark on the place. Gold Bug Park also offers Gem Panning which would did not check out, but we saw a couple of kids having fun while doing it. Entrance to the park is free, but the mine cave tour is $12 per adult, $8 per kid - 5 and under are free! Overall, we had a lot of fun! So many cool artifacts and history to explore. I thought every single staff member was knowledgeable, friendly and did a great job keeping our kids engaged! We would definitely come back to Gold Bug Park next time we are in Placerville!

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Clyde F Curtis Rotary Park

5.0

(1 review)

1.8 mi

This park is in downtown Placerville, CA. It's one of the prettiest neighborhood parks that I've…read moreever seen. Gorgeous aspen (or pine, one of those) trees surround the park. In its four acres is a lighted little league baseball field (home to the Hangtown League) complete with an electronic scoreboard and snack shack, play ground, picnic tables with bbq pits, and restrooms. The park is on Clark Street which is a narrow neighborhood gravel road. Drive cautiously because the street turns into hybrid part parking lot and street. On game days, the parking lot fills up quickly. When that happens, parking on Clark Street is scarce and the best bet is to park on Pacific Street and hike in. There are some handicapped parking spots located at the far end of the parking lot behind the little snack shack. From that end, there is a walking ramp that leads to all areas of the park including the walking path around the back field. So if you have folks in your group that would benefit from using the ADA ramps, it's best to unload from back there. Besides that access point, there are stairs, with hand rails, in the front parking lot. The parking lot has only one entrance and exit point. A big shout out to the Placerville Rotary Club for creating this park and helping to maintain it. Great community partnership.

Stadium Sitting and Snack Shack

Playground Area

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Little league field with scoreboard, restrooms, and play ground area

Lions Park

(12 reviews)

2.9 mi

Lions Park in Placerville, CA, is quite a gem. She's a beaut! The park was dedicated in 1968 by the…read morePlacerville Lion's Club. 24 acre park with two tennis courts, four pickle ball courts, two softball fields, frisbee disc golf course, children's play area, restroom, walking trail, and picnic tables and bbqs. The courts are locked though. City residents can purchase a key from the City's Parks and Recreation Office to access the courts. The park was extremely clean and well maintained. On my weekend visit, I was surprised to see a groundskeeper working on a weekend afternoon. He was no slacker. No wonder this place was so neat and tidy.

Great park. We came…read morefor a really good friend's baby shower. It's $50 to rent to the gazebo great price. Tennis court Park Baseball field Frisbee golf Two bathrooms Charcoal bbq ((should be scraped down once a month or something)) Lots of shaded area to sit. Pretty far out but great park Lots of parking available for your group

Luv the big ole L stone sign. Loins Park was dedicated in 1968 by the Placerville Loin's Club.

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Chili Bar Park

(1 review)

3.2 mi

It was hot and we were visiting the area. My husband used his mapping skills and found this area by…read morethe water. When we arrived I was stunned it was so empty! Not a huge fan of trying to relax amidst a ton of people. There is a 6 dollar per car entrance fee. There were butterflies everywhere. It is a put it here for the rafters. It is located at the south fork of the American river which I have rafted many times but never from here. If you haven't rafted the American river I absolutely recommend! Back to the park, there is a grassy area to lay down a towel and have a picnic. I didn't see Bbqs or bathrooms but I didn't look all that hard. The beach area is rocky. Beautiful rocks, most smooth. Perfect for skipping! The water is Cold but that didn't stop us. My daughter in law is very pregnant and her poor feet appreciated the frigid water. The guys, they just jumped in. I edited real quick to add, if you get in know that the water is moving fast. Be aware. Next time we come I will bring some chairs. You can also pan for gold here if you desire. Pet friendly! Wonderful spot to cool off and listen to the water I tell ya!

3 of the most important people in my life

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Enterprise Playground

3.8

(4 reviews)

1.7 mi

First of all , we were visiting from out of Town and staying at the best western inn in placerville…read more. Our toddler had so much energy and there were zero parks close to us until we found this little gem . It is in the middle of many buildings and I believe it is associated with the church next door( I seen a stair case) so that means no restrooms however plenty of parking and shade . We managed to enjoy the slide and monkey bars . There is some unfortunate writing on the structure . We still appreciated the small location for our toddlers to get some energy out . It got the job done .

Tiny playground with no benches or bathrooms, BUT what a huge blessing it is to have a place to…read morestop and let the children get some energy out! I wouldn't come here unless I had to, but I'm so thankful that it was here when we needed it.

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Finnon Lake Recreation Area

(28 reviews)

6.7 mi

Gorgeous views. Great campsites. Amazing fishing. Perfect paddle boarding space. Nightly serenades…read morefrom bull frogs. Clean bathrooms- flushing toilets, running water.

Our first camping trip and I gotta say, it was pretty sweet to be right on the lake with our…read moreprivate entrance! Zero issues with geese (we had read that in other reviews) ... would be nice if the ground were flat ... but overall, it's a great lil spot! The diner staff ... 10 outta 10 ... great group of people!

Nice bluegill

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Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park

(109 reviews)

6.4 mi

1/5/2019: I wrote several reviews for James Marshall Monument and Coloma State Park; however, all…read moremy reviews mysteriously disappeared! Yah~YELP! Where ARE my reviews, eh? THEREFORE, I searched ALL the YELP! photos I posted: I found a few photos dated 1/5/2019 as PROOF I did write my reviews for both locations. Disappointingly, ALL my photos AND reviews for James Marshall's Monument and Coloma State Park event MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARED AFTER 2019! UNHAPPY! Anyway, in June 2022, I attended a Military Funeral I personally arranged at James Marshall's Monument for my deceased Army friend who passed away plus, instrumentally preventing his family from spending an egregious, heinous sum for funeral expenses, i.e., I contacted the Coloma State Park's Head Supervisor Ranger on my friend's family's behalf. Blessed, the Head Park Ranger Supervisor contacted my friend's family a couple days later who only had to pay $75.00 for reserving James Marshall's Monument location for my friend's Military funeral! The location presided a PRIVATE, dignified, Military funeral which involved the US Army Color Guards who fired off a 21-Gun Salute for my deceased Army friend, ample parking provided for all attending the Military Funeral, conveniently located picnic tables for food/libations setup, and more importantly, an easy, short stroll to James Marshall's Monument where the 21-Gun Salute was presided. My friend's family were so grateful to Coloma State Park's Head Park Ranger Supervisor for allowing presiding a Military funeral which was quite a distance from the Coloma State Park's American River parking lot. Reiterating, reserving the James Marshall's Monument location for my friend's family and all who attended my friend's Military Funeral, it was so PRIVATE, awesome, easy, uncomplicated set up due to the picnic tables for the food and libations were conveniently adjacent to the clean restrooms, and overall, a gorgeous, tranquil, serene, appropriate location presiding a somber, dignified, Military funeral. Finally, presiding a Military Funeral at James Marshall's Monument for my friend's family will always be remembered and revered. Best of all, all who attended my friend's Military funeral have ALL returned exploring James Marshall's Monument--again, James Marshall's log cabin, checking the construction updates for both St. John's Catholic Church and Emmanuel Church, Sutter's Mill, gold panning the American River, sent snail mail from the Coloma Post Office, ate at my friend, Noah's Argonaut Cafe, and hiked all the trails, too! BTW: Since I'm 100% Service-Connected Vietnam Veteran possessing a Veteran's Distinguished Park Pass, reserving James Marshall's Monument would be NO FEE for me! FYI: Resource Building For PHYSICALLY Applying For A Veteran's Distinguished Park Pass Resource Building 1416 9th Street Sacramento CA 95814 (916) 657-4380 https://www.mapquest.com/us/california/resources-building-375367030 www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=30958 Contact CA Park Pass Sales Office: (800) 777-0369 ext. 2 Send email: parkpassinfo@parks.ca.gov

Awesome historical stop. This cute 1800s old town brings the California Gold Rush era to life with…read moreover 20 historic mining buildings. You can still see a schoolhouse, a blacksmith shop, a cafe, event venue (Gold Trail Grange), museum and a charming little post office that is actually still functional. It's a great spot for all, kids enjoy the fun gold-panning activities, adults interest to learn the Gold Rush history, walking trail, picnic and hanging out by the river. We also walked around the Mt. Murphy Road Bridge, this bridge offers great views of the South Fork American River and the white-water rafting, please watch out for cars, the bridge is narrow! Highly recommend stopping by this place.

John Marshall Statue

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Sutters mill

Wench Creek Campground

3.3

(31 reviews)

0.0 mi

The camp hosts are fucking horrible! 2nd year we have been here(and the last!). Same woman as last…read moreyear with her husband and she is the WORST. She is rude, snappy and very pushy. The camp host double booked a spot possibly. A spot next to us had opened after a young gentleman had been sitting on the back of his jet skis at the spot next to us at 4pm. just a car and jet skis nothing else. No tent no food. No nothing!!. once they left, we went to the kiosk and paid for the site next to us nooooooooo problem! campsite was not reserved there was no ticket on the post saying it was reserved and no personal items left from the previous guests(kid and jet skis)...this was also about 4:00 in the afternoon where check out is much earlier. About 10min later a lady came and started argueeing with my husband that they had reserved the site.... but we had paid for the site and they had no ticket to prove it or reservation confirmation. If the guest did have a reservation the host never posted on the post which is not our fault the ticket should have been posted on the post before the new guests arrived. Mind you its 4pm way past check out time!! Arguement insued with this lady anf she insists and WE pay her 36 dollars for the camps mistake! The host never offered to refund. We had a ticket and sh3 had no proof of anything!!!! We handed $36 to a lady who may not have had a reservation and scammed us! could have been the camp host friends since the camp host didn't seem to want to help!

The camp host (a man) was super rude, and went out of his way to be unhelpful. Other campers were…read morerowdy and disrespectful, screaming and playing music late into the night. Generators were running until midnight, and there were loud parties with amplified music roaring past midnight as well. If that's your crowd then perhaps this is your spot. It wasn't comfortable for my family with young kids. One good thing is the toilets had toilet paper and the bathroom garbage seemed to be emptied daily. But that's about the only good thing this campground really had. I won't be back to camp here again.

Camping cute and beautiful lake.

Beach

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Tent

Old Depot Bike Park

(3 reviews)

1.3 mi

What a cool park!! My son and his family live near here and…read morestumbled on this track walking the trail. So when we visited this last time my husband brought his bike and the boys hit the track. We had a delightful conversation with a county employee there, he explained how they built it ALL by hand! We had it to ourselves for a long while, then the kids started piling in. It's a big space. Clean bathrooms. Picnic tables. My husband's bike will travel with us now when we visit.

Track is fun. However, there are people throwing birthday parties for kids who don't have enough…read moreexperience riding a bike let alone being on a pump track. The parents of those kids don't watch them and I've seen multiple kids get seriously injured. Parks and Rec need to come up with some standard rules and etiquette for the park.

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Rules

Camp Nauvoo

4.6

(38 reviews)

4.6 mi

Super neat and clean camping sites. Attentive and prompt…read moreresponse for inquiries. Clean campgrounds and awesome place. Greg gave us an awesome tour of the area. We definitely recommend this place for kids or any outdoor venue

VERY CLEAN!!! stayed In the larger teepee with my friends! Hot showers, spotless bathrooms, and not…read moretoo many bugs! Extremely Well maintained and very friendly and helpful staff. They also have a fun lodge full of stuff for you to do, plenty of grills to cook on, and even a microwave and keurig! They have a section of Weber creek that they blocked off to create a small swimming hole which was cool because it was so hot. It is a very Rocky creek so you will need water shoes. It was fun seeing the crawfish and the fish swimming in the water! Also like the little store they have in case you forget something and are in a pinch. It also has ice cream! Would go again. signal was pretty good as well

Had to get a photo with our new lifetime friend. We want to come here every year! Greg is such a warm hearted & fun host! He's kid magnet!

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Heron Landing Community Park

4.9

(19 reviews)

25.5 mi

We had a good time here. Pretty far from our house so we won't go often. The slash pad seems nice…read morefor younger kids. Lots to climb, sand area, trampoline, separate playgrounds for toddlers and older kids. Lots of grass. Does have a parking lot. There were only a few other cars the day we went. Does have bathrooms. Not a lot of shade.

This place is amazing!! There is so much to do and a lot of space for everyone to play.read more

Play Area #3

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Finnon Lake Recreation Area

(28 reviews)

6.7 mi

Gorgeous views. Great campsites. Amazing fishing. Perfect paddle boarding space. Nightly serenades…read morefrom bull frogs. Clean bathrooms- flushing toilets, running water.

Our first camping trip and I gotta say, it was pretty sweet to be right on the lake with our…read moreprivate entrance! Zero issues with geese (we had read that in other reviews) ... would be nice if the ground were flat ... but overall, it's a great lil spot! The diner staff ... 10 outta 10 ... great group of people!

Nice bluegill

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Bayside Splash Pad & Playground

4.3

(3 reviews)

21.4 mi

I came to meet friends at the church water park for a summer get-together and wasn't aware it was…read moreclosed. While I was waiting to get clarification, I was approached by a security guard who told me to leave the parking lot. I was surprised by how unkind and unnecessarily harsh the interaction was--especially since I was clearly a mom with small children trying to understand the situation. I left feeling disrespected and unwelcome. There's no sign posted at the park to say it's closed for several weeks, and it's clearly not posted online either. Just so everyone is aware, it is closed until July 12th for 2025. Churches are meant to be safe spaces, and this experience left a lasting impression I truly hope leadership addresses.

My family loves the playground and cafe at Bayside church. Fun to enjoy a coffee while the kids…read moreplay.

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Rachel M.

17

51

0

17 years ago

Growing up in the El Dorado National Forest may have made me biased to the area but I'm compelled to tell you some of the marvelous areas within the forest. As you travel up highway 50, through Placerville and Pollock Pines you will enter into the national forest land which surrounds the highway. From the Ice House turn off you can travel north up the mountain to several lakes which offer fishing, boating and camping. My particular favorite is Loon Lake which is at the top of the mountain and is only accessible in the summer. At this elevation the forest changes, the trees are shorter and the vegitation more sparce than below at the lower lakes. It is a peaceful lake that offers great views of the surrounding mountains. If you choose to continue north up highway 50 there are several other areas which offer great hiking trails, Strawberry and Kyburz to name a couple of areas. The American River runs through these areas and there are great trails along the river and some quiet swimming holes tucked here and there. If you continue towards Echo Summit you'll reach the turnoff to Wright's Lake. Wrights Lake is a great summer lake which offers level camping spots and wonderful canoeing into the wetlands to the east of the lake. From Wright's Lake you may obtain a permit to hike into the Desolation Wilderness area which is spectacular in it's own right. Desolation is truly for the experienced hiker and backpacker, it's easy to get lost and the weather changes are dramatic so use caution. All over the national forest you can hike, mountain bike and horse-back ride on the logging roads and various trails. Many of them are not well marked and it can be easy to become turned around. Your best bet is to get a USGS Quad map of the area and to stop by the ranger station in Camino Heights to get maps of the area. There is usually water located somewhere along the trail, even in the summer, but be prepared and carry your own. The summers are long and hot up here but in the higher elevations the night temperatures can become deadly and a storm can move in within minutes. This is a great forest for a day trip, weekend camping with the family or week long backpacking adventure. So come and enjoy but please, if you pack-it-in, pack-it-out and keep this forest clean! read more

Kristen T.

71

28

14

9 years ago

Peaceful and good for RV camping without hookups. Had no problems with bears. Short drive to Rubicon

Eldorado National Forest - parks - Updated August 2026

People who viewed Eldorado National Forest also viewed

Chili Bar Park

(1 review)

It was hot and we were visiting the area. My husband used his mapping skills and found this area by…read morethe water. When we arrived I was stunned it was so empty! Not a huge fan of trying to relax amidst a ton of people. There is a 6 dollar per car entrance fee. There were butterflies everywhere. It is a put it here for the rafters. It is located at the south fork of the American river which I have rafted many times but never from here. If you haven't rafted the American river I absolutely recommend! Back to the park, there is a grassy area to lay down a towel and have a picnic. I didn't see Bbqs or bathrooms but I didn't look all that hard. The beach area is rocky. Beautiful rocks, most smooth. Perfect for skipping! The water is Cold but that didn't stop us. My daughter in law is very pregnant and her poor feet appreciated the frigid water. The guys, they just jumped in. I edited real quick to add, if you get in know that the water is moving fast. Be aware. Next time we come I will bring some chairs. You can also pan for gold here if you desire. Pet friendly! Wonderful spot to cool off and listen to the water I tell ya!

Dutch Creek Trail

(2 reviews)

We enjoyed exploring the powerful waterfalls and roaring rivers of Coloma, CA!…read more We did the Dutch Falls Hike Length: 2.5 miles Type: Out and back Level: Moderate Elevation gain: 272 ft Be sure to bring hiking poles, hiking shoes and get ready to get a little muddy (worth it, I promise!)

This trail is pretty well reviewed on Alltrails and Google but I could not find it on Yelp. As is…read moretypical, reviews on other sites can be short and quite limited so from what I read I was excited to try this trail. It is lovely right now, but you can tell it is on the precipice of drying up for the year and turning brown and dusty. Speaking of precipices, there were many areas where the path was unstable of the cliff face had collapsed. The trail was just not well maintained and there were tons of bugs, especially mosquitos due to the sitting pools of water and long grass. Even being coated in bug spray, I found dead bugs in my shirt when I came home and my hiking partner had bugs go in his mouth and eye. We saw poison oak and although I checked my dog thoroughly for ticks after the hike and found none, she is good at staying on the trail so I would be cautious with wandering pups. Overall, the trail is moderate and if maintained would be spectacular. However, the blatant disregard for the trail is a solid reason to take away a star. The other reason is that there is no parking in the area, with the exception of the museum parking lot and we paid $10 to park over a half mile away from the trailhead on a hike that will take you an hour max. Still, while this trail was disenchating, we did drive past a few other parks and trailheads in the area with free parking that we were previously unaware of and will most likely be back another day to try those.

Union Valley Reservoir

(8 reviews)

It's incredibly beautiful! If you want to swim, fish, camp or hike the area! I stopped for a brief…read more time to get away from people. The water is cold and refreshing and mostly people stay to themselves.

They have basically eliminated day use facilities at this lake…read more If you go to jones fork day use parking outside the camp lot is filled at 530am on monday with extra cars from campground. If you goto azalea trailhead lot was full as well. I managed to get a space at bike trailhead next to big silver group but cars that cant make it to bassi falls trailhead park there. Also both bike campground had organizations taking up most of the sites 3-5 tents per site with a large mongolian yurt style tent in the center with pine needles and pollen/dust on the roof. There were 4 sites in azalea not being used but those will be the only legal campsites if you did not book 6-8 week in advance at 41 dollars a night. They made everything between loon lake and ice house junction/store a national recreation area which makes camping outside a campground illegal.

Sly Park Recreation Area

3.8

(202 reviews)

Everything. This is…read morea pristine, cold, well maintained lake with awesome camp sites and bathrooms. The bathrooms are just that, babes...lake bathrooms. The waterfall runs with Mother Nature.

I have camped here twice now. Camping is not my thing, but it's a way to unplug and unwind. The…read morefirst time we stayed at waterfront campsite (Pincone- $65). It was easy to walk to the water. The second time we stayed at the standard campsite (Hilltop- $42). Each reservation is for 6 people and 1 car. The weather was nice when we went and the site was shaded. Pit toilets are the main downside to camping here.

El Dorado Trail

5.0

(2 reviews)

This is a beautiful trail with asphalt the entire way. Be ready for a hill climb if you're heading…read morefrom El Dorado to the end of the trail. The bonus is you get to ride down on your return trip.

Do people get on your nerves? Do you ever feel drained of energy after spending time around people?…read moreLOL! Well perhaps you need some soul refreshment in nature, doing something physical, away from people. Look no further than the El Dorado Trail. And if you like the scent of forest, this is a great place to get it without having to drive fully into the Sierras. It's a 30 min/ 25 mile drive from Carmichael. There are 4-6 parking areas where you can hook onto the trail. I used 4451 Missouri Flat Rd, Placerville, (free, no time limit) and went east. Dont make me regret telling you this, but if you're lucky, you might get a glimpse of the Long-tailed Weasel in this general area. Google maps shows two port-a-potty units in the parking lot but they're gone. The one located about 1-3 miles east of downtown Placerville is still there. There's a public restroom on Main St in downtown Placerville. The path is mostly smooth but there's patches of lifted asphalt, so be careful. I used the trail as a bicyclist so my review is from that perspective. The route for a road bicycle is about 23 miles if you add Placerville Rd and Ray Lawyer (this "cat's claw" shape adds 3 miles and a good climb if you are turning left onto Ray Lawyer from Placerville Rd. The route starts out with a hint of downhill but then climbs steadily. Once you get to Halcon at the end of the paved route and you return on the same route, you'll be headed downhill. Be careful carrying speed, there's some inconsistencies with the pavement. And the two bridges that you cross are rustic styled and not smooth for a road bike. There's a third bridge, paved, that goes over El Dorado Freeway/50. The trail breaks up in a few places and you use the shoulder of the road to connect the sections of bike path. The trail is open to pedestrians, cyclists (non-motorized), and equestrians. There were very few trail users which I really liked. This is a good series of trails and if your tooling around downtown Placerville, it's a great way to walk off lunch!

Dave Moore Nature Area

4.6

(16 reviews)

Great beginners trail for toddlers! My daughter is 16 months old and did this walk. We got there at…read more10 and left at 1. We saw only a few people on the trail on a week day. Saw only a handful of dinosaurs. Wouldn't recommend a stroller, you'd have to pick it up at some points, but is maybe doable. Really nice river spot to relax at maybe half way, 3/4 of the way. It's an easy loop to follow. Starts at one side of the parking lot and ends at the other.

This is a nearby nature haven for families. Lots of free…read moreparking right off the road. Pit toilet in the parking lot. Down an accessible path about half a mile is a nice beach on the river. Sandy. Rocks to sit on and throw! The path is wide and mostly poison oak free. Along the path your kids will find small toys hidden on the rock walls, in the madrone bushes, hanging from the puzzle-bark pines. Nice picnic areas have been cleared of brush and poison oak and have picnic tables. Our four-year old loved the walk, enjoyed the beach, and managed the return hike, too! We could have stayed all afternoon if we had thought to bring a blanket and sand toys. Next time we will also bring small toys to add to the fun of the search! This is a loop trail, a little over a mile, but only the first half mile is wide, accessible and clear of poison oak. We returned via this trail because the rest of the loop narrows and poison oak was everywhere. Older kids might like it.

Yellow Jacket Camp Ground

4.3

(10 reviews)

absolutely beautiful! This is my first time camping at the Yellowjacket campsite and it did not…read moredisappoint. Hands-down, the best campsite is number 20, which we were lucky enough to secure ahead of time fantastic views with access to the water suitable for paddle boarding and swimming, although the water is quite chilly even in summer. this campsite is dog friendly. there's a beautiful trail that goes all the way around the reservoir. I also saw many people with their fishing poles, and a few other Neighbor campers said there's some really good fishing spots in the area. A great experience and being there with family made it even better.

This place is fantastic for camping, we really enjoyed our stay! The water was perfect for swimming…read moreand super refreshing. It's definitely a spot we'll be coming back to. We had such a great time making memories here. Highly recommend it for anyone looking for a fun outdoor getaway.

Madrone Tree Hill

4.4

(10 reviews)

On a weekend at my brother in laws cabin we needed something for the little kids to do so we came…read moreto the haunted forest. Maybe this would had been better at night but seemed pretty expensive to me but the little kids had fun. The animatronics were good and I appreciated no one jumping out trying to scare you. Well organized just seemed expensive but we had a good time.

ETA: glad it took you so long to come up with that witty response, must've been rough. No worries-…read moreI enjoy the banter with a sincere business owner. Congratulations on the engagement Riddle me this: your own website says you close at 6 today but your gates are closed at 4:55. When I called to ask if the business was open I was told that the hours changed and he had no idea what website I got the information from. Answer: Yours

Fashoda Campground

3.3

(17 reviews)

I've been coming to Fashoda for about 10 years and never once have I ever had a bad experience. I…read morelove everything about this place! Beautiful campsite, spacious, multiple bathrooms, kind hosts, beautiful paths to walk or bike, and the water here is just amazing. There's the side that's closest to the campsite and there's also the side that's closer to the parking where you cross the street and have another beautiful spot of the lake to go enjoy. Overall, I have so many great memories of this place and everytime my family plans the trip, I always get super excited. Bring your family, friends, pets and have a great time here at Fashoda. Fashoda, thank you for everything that you do :D

Pros: Beautiful sites! The beach is pretty and plenty of room for everyone. Campgrounds is roomy…read moreand spread out from each other.. Our family reunions here have been happening for the last 20 years and we enjoy our time here. Cons: Bathroom always stink (the ones closer to the beach the worse it is), no tp (almost 85% of the time) so bring your own. Parking sucks. Day use people take over parking for those who actually camp. Showers: $3for 3 min and additional 20sec for each quarter. Hosts: We had some new ones this year. In the beginning they were phenomenal. Assisted us in many ways and were always nice greeting us. After the weekend, one got roust and rude, throwing a fit about our campers and saying we have left a mess on the beach and need to take ALL our items off the beach. This was not us! Our family respect the beach and always keep it tidy at the end of the day. The day use people over the weekend made a mess and they assumed it was us and came out accusing our group. This is not professional in the least bit and rules should not be made up on the fly. Appreciated Ed (one of the hosts) clarifying some rules and regulations and made sure we all left happy. Rating: for place. for hosts.

Forebay Park